Florida State University Career Center’s Professional Clothing Closet is ready to refresh for spring.
The fifth annual Spring Cleaning with Meaning Clothing Drive: Restock the Racks will run from March 2 through April 3. The official kickoff for the annual drive will happen from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, March 6, at the Westcott Fountain and Plaza.
The Professional Clothing Closet provides free professional clothing for students to wear for future interviews, internships, career fairs, presentations, workplace experiences and more. Students, faculty, staff, alumni, community members and businesses are encouraged to drop off career-ready attire and accessories and be part of this campuswide effort to help students step confidently into their futures.
During the 2024-2025 academic year, more than 3,100 FSU students utilized the Professional Clothing Closet. The closet accepts gently used professional attire all year long, as limited inventory continues to be a challenge.
This spring, the Career Center aims to collect at least 3,000 clothing items and raise $10,000 to help meet growing student demand and ensure the closet remains fully stocked for the year ahead.
“By donating to the closet, you’re giving students an advantage to excel in their academic and career pursuits with confidence and professionalism,” said Heather Lazar, senior assistant director of Employer Relations. “This year marks an exciting milestone as we introduce our first-ever kickoff event, designed to celebrate past donors, honor the students who rely on the closet and provide a convenient opportunity for supporters to drop off clothing donations in person.”
The closet’s greatest needs include:
- Women’s professional clothing, including suits, blazers, dress slacks, skirts, dresses and blouses (small sizes preferred).
Men’s professional clothing, including suits, blazers, dress pants and dress shirts (small sizes preferred).
- Dress shoes in like-new condition (all sizes welcomed).
- Professional accessories such as ties and belts.
All donations must be clean and lightly used, in current professional style and appropriate for business professional or elevated business casual settings. Items not suitable for the Professional Clothing Closet will be donated to other local charities.
In addition to the kickoff, there are additional ways to support students and the Professional Clothing Closet during this clothing drive including:
- Donation Locations: Donation boxes will be available at convenient locations across campus and throughout Tallahassee at Champions First Credit Union branches and the Southwood Association Community Center.
- Curbside Donations: Schedule a curbside drop-off at the Career Center — no need to find parking!
- Special Saturday, March 28 Donation Event: Community members can also participate in a drop-off donation event from 2:30 – 5 p.m. Saturday, March 28, at Thomasville Road Baptist Church.
- Monetary Donations: Financial gifts help purchase the most-needed items and supplement in-kind donations, ensuring students have access to essential professional attire year-round. Those who wish to make a monetary contribution can donate directly to the Professional Clothing Closet Foundation account (F09092).
To learn more about the Professional Clothing Closet, please visit career.fsu.edu/ClothingCloset.